DHR Re-organization Begins Today

Governor Sonny Perdue has high hopes for the restructuring of health and social service agencies in the state. That begins today with the arrival of the new fiscal year.

Basically, the sweeping changes will spread the services previously handled by two agencies—Department of Human Resources and the Department of Community Health—to three. The main reason is to help Georgia to get a better handle on its failings in mental health, which has been under the federal microscope over the past year.

Governor Perdue says he’s confident of future success for the newly-created Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities:

"I firmly believe by separating these functions organizationally, the resulting standalone department focused on mental health will be a nimble, flexible and responsive unit…better able to fully implement the commission’s recommendations."

Advocates are hopeful, yet worried about whether the state’s continued budget crisis will cripple the effort.

Perdue says other areas of concern, like access to vital records, should be better handled in the new set-up.

Perdue unveils plan to target state mental health

Governor Sonny Perdue says a reorganization of the state’s health and social services will help pave the way toward fixing Georgia’s severe deficiencies in mental health care.

Perdue says a newly-created Department of Behavioral Health would handle only mental health and addiction programs. The plan also creates a Department of Health, to oversee programs such as Medicaid and Peachcare, and a Department of Human Services--handling welfare and elderly issues.

The state has been under federal scrutiny for what investigators say are dangerous conditions in Georgia’s seven mental hospitals. Perdue says this new arrangement is vital.

"I firmly believe by separating these functions organizationally, the resulting standalone department focused on mental health will be a nimble, flexible, responsive unit better able to fully implement the commission’s recommendations".

The announcement comes on the heels of a report from the Governor’s task force on how to improve the state’s troubled mental hospitals and services.

While the reorganization looks good, it still makes Lei Ellingson cautious. She’s assistant director for mental health programs at the Carter Center in Atlanta.

"I think it’s a good step to have mental health and addictive diseases pulled out and brought closer to the Governor, if there’s this direct link. But the budget has to be there".

The reorganization would take-hold on July 1st of next year, if approved by lawmakers.

Proposed cuts to social services, higher ed

Georgia's social services programs face deep cuts. Today the board of the Department of Human Resources approved the cuts following a directive from Gov. Sonny Perdue to slash spending. Georgia is facing a 1.6-billion-dollar budget shortfall. Among the programs that could be cut are waivers for mentally disabled adults which allow them to move from institutional settings into home care. There would also be cuts to the state's mental health system and substance abuse programs.

Also today the state Board of Regents approved its budget cut proposals. They include lay-offs and a hiring freeze, hiking student fees and health insurance premiums for employees, and revoking guaranteed tuition rates. The Governor will look over all agencies’ proposals and make final budget cut decisions this fall.

Feds find "critically deficient" problems in state mental hospitals

Conditions at a state mental hospital in Atlanta have been described as "critically deficient" by federal officials. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the U.S. Justice Department found similar problems at two other state hospitals, along with Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta. A letter detailing the problems was sent to Governor Sonny Perdue. The AJC says federal officials offered 13 pages of corrective measures. Failure by the state to act by late July could bring a federal lawsuit to force changes.

Head of state mental health resigns

The state agency that provides mental health services needs a new medical director. The previous director quit amid criticism of state-run mental hospitals.

Doctor Andrea Bradford left her post Friday as head of the Department of Human Resources’ Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases.

The DHR cited a consulting team's recent report on operations at the state mental hospital in Atlanta. And, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported in January that at least 115 mental hospital patients died under suspicious circumstances from 2002 to 2006. Also, the paper reported that more than 190 patients were victims of abuse by hospital staff.

State officials say they plan to conduct a national search for a replacement "to raise the bar on our practices in the state hospitals."